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Supercross & Motocross
WEIGANDT: The Curse Of Unadilla
The unforgiving Unadilla circuit has a history of turning the AMA Motocross Championship race on its head.
Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey (Photo: Suzuki Racing)
For once, let's hope things don’t get crazy.
Just nine points separate the big three in the 450 class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Just 17 points separate the top three in the 250 class. This is an all-time series for close competition, which is great, yes, but we’re headed to the danger zone this weekend.
Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New York State had more history (and rocks) soaked into its soil than any other round on the tour -- and obviously, when I’m talking history, I’m not talking birthday and retirement parties. We’re taking drama, bad luck, curses, and crazy stuff.
And in that is the potential to blow these close points races wide open. Oh no!
A brief run down of what’s gone down at the ‘Dilla: Bob Hannah had a riding style tailor-made for the ultra-rough New York circuit, but spent ten years fighting a Unadilla jinx. He lost his brakes while leading. He crashed. He busted a clutch lever. He ran into -- literally -- Roger DeCoster in RD’s last great race in the U.S. Basically, Hannah was the fastest rider at this track for a decade, but didn’t have a single win to show for it until the year when he finally wasn’t so fast anymore. Johnny O’Mara had Bob beat at the 1986 USGP at this track, until he ran out of gas while leading on the last lap. Hannah won, and O’Mara was heartbroken -- and would never win another race at that level.
Travis Pastrana’s motocross racing career fairly well came to an end at this track. Ten years ago, he was the defending champion of the 125 class (now the 250 class) and held a solid points lead at midseason. At Unadilla, he won the first moto by a mile, and looked ready to do it again in moto two. Bigger points lead, more wins, and another championship, all set for delivery. Until the last lap, when Travis, for no apparent reason, crashed huge on a double jump and knocked himself out. He was never the same again as a racer, never winning another race.
Just nine points separate the big three in the 450 class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Just 17 points separate the top three in the 250 class. This is an all-time series for close competition, which is great, yes, but we’re headed to the danger zone this weekend.
Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New York State had more history (and rocks) soaked into its soil than any other round on the tour -- and obviously, when I’m talking history, I’m not talking birthday and retirement parties. We’re taking drama, bad luck, curses, and crazy stuff.
And in that is the potential to blow these close points races wide open. Oh no!
A brief run down of what’s gone down at the ‘Dilla: Bob Hannah had a riding style tailor-made for the ultra-rough New York circuit, but spent ten years fighting a Unadilla jinx. He lost his brakes while leading. He crashed. He busted a clutch lever. He ran into -- literally -- Roger DeCoster in RD’s last great race in the U.S. Basically, Hannah was the fastest rider at this track for a decade, but didn’t have a single win to show for it until the year when he finally wasn’t so fast anymore. Johnny O’Mara had Bob beat at the 1986 USGP at this track, until he ran out of gas while leading on the last lap. Hannah won, and O’Mara was heartbroken -- and would never win another race at that level.
Travis Pastrana’s motocross racing career fairly well came to an end at this track. Ten years ago, he was the defending champion of the 125 class (now the 250 class) and held a solid points lead at midseason. At Unadilla, he won the first moto by a mile, and looked ready to do it again in moto two. Bigger points lead, more wins, and another championship, all set for delivery. Until the last lap, when Travis, for no apparent reason, crashed huge on a double jump and knocked himself out. He was never the same again as a racer, never winning another race.
SX Seattle
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